A senior Haitian official stated Thursday that two individuals thought to be Haitian Americans, one of whom was allegedly a former security at the Canadian Embassy in Port au Prince, were detained following the assassination of Haiti's President.
Two Haitian Americans Suspected for Killing Haiti's President
President Jovenel Mose was assassinated by gunmen at his house in the early hours of Wednesday. Based on reprts, James Solages and Joseph Vincent were identified as suspects among 17 others who were arrested, as per a recently published article in Associated Press.
According to a document provided by Mathias Pierre, Haiti's minister of elections, Solages, 35 years old, is the oldest suspect. Solages formerly served as a bodyguard for the Canadian Embassy in Haiti, according to him. Meanwhile, the Canadian Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pierre also refused to provide more information regarding Solages' history or the identity of the second Haitian American. The US State Department said that it was aware of allegations that Haitian Americans were being held in prison; but it also said it could not confirm or comment on them, according to a published article in U.S. News.
Moreover, Witnesses claimed two suspects were found hidden in bushes near Port-au-Prince by a mob on Thursday, with some of the men being seized by their shirts and trousers, pushed, and slapped.
Haitians Condemned the Assassination of their President
The two men were sweating profusely and wearing clothing that seemed to be covered with dirt when they were apprehended by police. Officers loaded them into the back of a pickup truck and drove away, as the mob chased them down to the police station nearby.
Per 6 ABC News, the Haitians were infuriated. The crowd shouted, "They killed the president! Give them to us. We're going to burn them!"
One guy was observed stating that foreigners coming to Haiti to assassinate the country's leader was unacceptable, alluding to claims from Haitian authorities that the culprits spoke Spanish or English.
Police Chief Urged People To Stay Calm
At a press conference on Thursday, Charles, the Police Chief, asked residents to remain calm and let officers perform their jobs, while also warning that authorities needed the evidence that the suspects destroyed, including the burnt vehicles, according to a published article in Reuters.
Following the arrest of the two Haitian-Americans, the mob set fire to numerous abandoned vehicles with gunshot holes, believing they belonged to the white culprits. There were no registration plates on the vehicles, and one of them had an empty box of ammunition and some water inside.
Meanwhile, officials did not provide a reason for the killings, simply stating that the assault, which was denounced by Haiti's major opposition parties and the international world, was carried out by a well-trained and heavily armed gang.
However, the government's account of the assault was not universally accepted. When Haitian journalist Robenson Geffrard, who writes for a local newspaper and has a radio program, tweeted a story on the police chief's remarks, he received a barrage of suspicion in response.
Many Haitians were perplexed as to how the sophisticated assailants reported by police were able to get into Mose's house, security detail, and panic room and then escape unhurt, only to be apprehended without having a planned, successful escape.
